Gunners held at home, Newcastle draw in Italy

Champions League round-up

Champions League round-up

  • Arsenal need a draw in Valencia to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League following a disappointing 1-1 draw with 10-man Roma at Highbury tonight.

Skipper Patrick Vieira headed Arsenal into a 12th- minute lead.

Roma captain Francesco Totti was red-carded ten minutes later after raising his arm in a clumsy aerial challenge on Martin Keown.

But Antonio Cassano levelled for Roma - against the run of play - late in the first half and his team weathered the ensuing storm to hand Arsenal their third consecutive draw in the competition.

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Arsenal, who have not won at home in the Champions League since September, squandered a string of chances in both halves as Sylvain Wiltord, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires all fired wide of the target.

  • Valencia held Ajax Amsterdam 1-1 in Holland to maintain their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Both sides had plenty of chances in the Group B clash at the Amsterdam Arena but the visitors took the lead when Kily Gonzalez converted from the penalty spot in the 28th minute after Francisco Rufete was fouled in the area.

Ajax, who could have clinched qualification with a victory, hit back strongly and deservedly equalised after 58 minutes through Finn Petri Pasanen's header.

  • Inter Milan twice came from behind to cancel out goals from Alan Shearer as they drew 2-2 with Newcastle in Group A. Both sides can still make the quarter-finals.

Newcastle went ahead three minutes before the break when Shearer got ahead of his marker and slotted home a low cross from Craig Bellamy.

But Inter drew level within two minutes of the restart, Christian Vieri rising well to head in a Sergio Conceicao cross from the right.

Just two minutes later though, Newcastle restored their lead with Shearer again showing his predatory qualities as he pounced to fire home after Inter keeper Francesco Toldo had made a hash of a cross from winger Laurent Robert.

But Inter got back onto level terms again in the 61st minute, when Emre floated over a cross from the left and defender Ivan Cordoba rose well at the back post to thunder a header past Shay Given.

The result leaves Inter behind Barcelona in second place in the group with eight points, while Newcastle have seven. Inter are away to Bayer Leverkusen in their final match in the group, while Newcastle host Barcelona.

  • Barcelona booked their place in the last eight and ensured they qualified as group winners when they eased their way to a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Nou Camp.

A neatly taken 17th-minute strike from Argentine forward Javier Saviola and a deflected header from Dutch defender Frank de Boer made sure of a comfortable but unspectacular win for the home side.